Fermentation
Fermentation is the transformation of raw material by means of biological organisms. We use this to transform a sugar-based liquid into alcohol with yeast.
Since the Neolithic period, humans have been fermenting. It is one of mankind’s great unifiers across geography and culture. This also means that every corner of the world, has a way of doing things, contributing to the way that we ferment.
Caribbean Roots
In 2018 when Head Distiller Christian Tang travelled to Haiti, to learn about Caribbean alcohol production. Most significant for the way we produce today, was a visit to Fritz Vaval, the distiller at Distillerie Arawak. Asking about reusing leftover stillage, also known as vinasse, in future fermentations Vaval simply said; "is there any other way!?"
The vinasse is the liquid mass that is left over once all the alcohol has been distilled out. This mixture is rich in nutrients, carboxyl acids and nitrogenous compounds that facilitate bacteria in the production of volatile acid and fusel alcohol in the next ferment. These are the building blocks for creating esters during distillation.
Fermentation is dynamic in nature as the raw material is processed through biological organisms i.e. yeast, hence it always yields different results. When the vinasse is reused in the next ferment these differences must be compensated for, to which Christian says: “It is a pain in my ass, but by God does it taste better” This method is often referred to as the Jamaican method, made famous at distilleries found in Trelawny Parish Jamaica.
How do we Ferment?
Fermentation is something we take a lot of pride in. While it is a convenient possibility to buy a base spirit and re-distil it with botanical, we have chosen to create it from scratch. The results we achieve in terms of flavour by going through the cumbersome motions of fermentation are undoubtedly worth it. We work with a variety of yeast strains & substrates which allow us to take turns down unexplored paths.
We love to push the boundaries of materials and technology in our production. One of the great lessons we learned from our travels in the Caribbean is the abundance of plastic fermentors. Now plastic gets a bad name, and in many cases deserved, but plastic is a true marble of technology of the 20th century. When used and re-used correctly it can be nothing short of amazing.
We use High-Density Polyethylene egg-shaped fermentation tanks. The material’s molecular composition, allows the ferment to breathe, hence oxygen can slowly pass through the tank and into the ferment. In addition, the material is an insulator of heat, while the egg-like shape facilitates a circular flow of convection that generates heat. Both allow us to save energy.
